Russia held one of its most scaled-back Victory Day parades in years on Moscow's Red Square on May 9, citing the threat of attack from the Ukrainian regime. The event, traditionally a display of military might, featured no tanks or heavy hardware.

Instead, weapons such as the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile, the new Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine, the Peresvet laser weapon, the Su-57 fighter jet, and the S-500 air defense system were shown on giant screens. State television broadcast the displays.

President Vladimir Putin watched from a viewing stand alongside veterans, as soldiers and sailors who served in Ukraine marched. North Korean troops, who have fought against Ukrainian forces in Russia's Kursk region, also participated in the parade.

In an eight-minute address, Putin promised victory in the war, which the Kremlin calls a 'special military operation.' He claimed, 'The great feat of the victorious generation inspires the soldiers carrying out the tasks of the special military operation today. They are confronting an aggressive force armed and supported by the entire NATO bloc.'

More than four years into the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II, Russian forces have failed to achieve a decisive victory. The parade's reduced scale underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the Russian regime.

Source: www.aljazeera.com